Physics Stuff

Using resistors, a power supply, and a digital multimeter, students investigate and discover the relationship between voltage, current, and resistance. They will take several data points, graph their data and formulate an equation based on the trendline from their data. At the end, students will use their new equation to solve basic Ohm's Law problems.

A simpler version of the graph matching lab from LabQuest and Motion Detector. Student make predictions on what graphs look like for various forms of motion as a pre-lab. After the pre-lab, students test out their predictions. Lastly, students use the pre-loaded graphs in LabQuest to "motion match" and must describe the motion in words.

This is a great first class activity for physics. Students measure circumferences and diameters of various objects and graph their data to model the relationship between the two quantities. It serves to help you observe your new students' laboratory skills and graphing skills before making headway into the class. It also is a great introduction to graphing physical data and developing linear models which occur frequently in introductory physics.

Students investigate which properties of a pendulum affect the period of the pendulum the most - mass, length, and drop height. After finishing data collection, students make an argument about which quantity affects the pendulum the most and why.

This is a simple lab that allows students to discover the acceleration due to gravity by dropping a ping pong ball and a tennis ball. Students hypothesize which ball will accelerate faster due to gravity and then using the acceleration displacement equation solve for the acceleration in both cases. At the end, students make an argument using their data to describe whether their hypothesis was correct.

Video lesson on constant velocity for flipped classroom

Students investigate the physics of a toy popper by analyzing the elastic potential energy. Students will measure the height of the toy popper and then use conservation of energy to determine the spring constant of the toy popper. Students then argue about what determines the height the toy popper reaches based on its design.